It is common to repair aluminum items and objects that may become dented, scratched, scraped, pierced, or the like. Indeed, many automobiles and boats include a shell and other structural parts made at least in part from aluminum, due to aluminum's structural integrity and light weight. For example, Ford Motor Company's F150 Pickup truck will now feature an aluminum body, bed and supports. Thus, automobile shops, for example, require dedicated personnel and equipment designed to repair aluminum, such as aluminum automobile bodies and other like structures.
Commonly, ferrous metals and other like contaminants may interfere with aluminum welds and corrode aluminum. For example, steel particles may contaminate aluminum welds, and contaminants such as steel, chrome, zinc, manganese, boron or lead may corrode and deteriorate aluminum surfaces in a process called galvanic corrosion. Care must be taken to ensure that aluminum repair is not subject to exposure to these and other types of contaminants. Often, it is difficult to sequester aluminum parts from contaminants that may interfere with aluminum welds and otherwise may corrode or deteriorate aluminum surfaces. In addition, aluminum dust, which may be generated during aluminum repair, when mixed with iron oxide particles and/or magnesium, may combust in a thermite reaction, causing injury and damage.
A need, therefore, exists for an aluminum repair station and methods of using the same that provide separation and sequestration of aluminum parts from contaminants. More specifically, a need exists for an aluminum repair station and methods of using the same that prevent contamination of aluminum welds, and further prevent corrosion and/or deterioration of aluminum surfaces during repair of the same.
Items utilizing aluminum surfaces or structural parts are often relatively large items, such as automobiles, boats, trailers, or other like objects. Aluminum repair stations often require entire bays that must be dedicated to aluminum repair, especially to prevent contamination as noted above. It is frequently difficult to dedicate the space necessary for proper aluminum repair. Oftentimes, a dedicated space must be provided for aluminum repair that cannot be utilized for any other purpose, due to the possibility of contamination. A need, therefore, exists for an aluminum repair station and methods of using the same that is sized appropriately to handle relatively large aluminum objects, such as vehicles, boats and the like. Moreover, a need exists for an aluminum repair station and methods of using the same that may be easily set up to create an isolated work area when needed to repair aluminum.
To ensure that contamination does not occur, proper ventilation and exhaust systems must be utilized so the air within an aluminum repair area is free of contaminants, such as steel, chrome, zinc, lead, manganese and boron dust, that may interfere with aluminum welds and/or cause corrosion or deterioration of aluminum surfaces. It is often difficult to install and utilize a proper ventilation and exhaust system for ensuring the repair station air is free of contamination. A need, therefore, exists for an aluminum repair station and methods of using the same having an adequate ventilation and exhaust system to ensure the working air is free of contamination.
Moreover, typical aluminum repair stations do not have the capability to provide finishing of the aluminum parts after repair of the same. A need, therefore, exists for aluminum repair stations that provide sufficient ventilation to allow for the finishing of aluminum metal, especially aluminum metal repaired in the aluminum repair stations. More specifically, a need exists for priming aluminum metal of an object within an aluminum repair station prior to moving the object to a painting station.